Oven and system of ventilation therefor



D. 13, 1938. H. E. soMEs OVEN AND SYSTEM OF VENTILATION THEREFOR Original Filed Dec. `2O, 1934 5 Sheets-*Sheet 1 NVEN TOR. HQWAQD E. Sor/LES BY n 46,/

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H. E. SOMES I Original Filed Dec. 20, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 HowAnDESomzs.

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OVEN AND SYSTEM OF VENTILATION THEREFOR Dec. 13, 1938. H, E. soMEs OVEN AND SYSTEM OF VENTILATION THEREFOR 4original Filed nee. 2o, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 III 5715/474. ffii-2,5743 diri/4.7494 4,5637

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Patented Dec. 13, 1938 PATENT oFrIcE OVENND SYSTEM 0F VENTILATION Howard E. Somos, Detroit, Mich.

Original application December 20,1934, Serial No.

Divided and this application March 12, 1938, Serial No. 68,426

dclaima.

The present invention relates to a heating and Ventilating system for industrial type ovens and particularly to such ovens of the enclosed tunnel type. Ovens of this type are used commercially for such purposes as baking nishes on metal objects, such for example as the synthetic enamel finishes in which modied glyptal resins are used. Such ovens are of particular value in baking ilnishes of this type upon motor vehicle bodies l@ or the like. Ovens of this general type also may be used for the heat treatment of metal objects or the surfaces thereof.

The present application is a division of my cao-pending application Serial No. '758,413 led 35 December 20, 1934 for Oven and system of ventilation thereof.

In a typical installation a conveyor extends longitudinally of the enclosing tunnel and carries the objects to be treated through progressive 2o stages within the oven, which are hereinafter designated as work preheating section, work baking section and work discharge section. Objects entering the oven in the work preheating section usually are at or about atmospheric temperature but are heated gradually while within this section to elevated temperatures. Thereafter, the obiects pass to the Workbaking section where they are heated to the predetermined degree of heat required for the particular desired treatment. Thereafter the objects pass though the work discharge section and are cooled to a temperature below the temperature in the work 'baking section. Upon discharge from the oven the objects may have been cooled to a temperature approximately atmospheric, li' such treatment is desired. The objects undergoing treatment thus comprise a continually moving stream flowing from the intake end of the enclosing tunnel to the discharge end of the tunnel and pass through 4@ the respective sections therein provided.

Prior to the present invention ovens of this l:vpc were heated by the use of gas or steam as the heating medium. This, however, was not entirely satisfactory `particularly in installations 45 requiring accurate temperature control within close limits, nor was it fully satisfactory in installations used in baking ilnishes on metal objects where the presence of suspended foreignV air iiow in the oven. The use of electrically actuated heating means has heretofore been suggested but has not been universally adopted because of the relatively higher cost per heat unit resulting from electrical current over that of heat 5 units produced by gas or steam heat. The present invention provides a heating oven so designed as to increase its emciency and make feasible the economical and commercial use oi.' electricity as a heating medium therefor.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a heating and Ventilating system for commercial ovens of the enclosed tunnel type in which electric current is used to supply the heating therefor and wherein provision is made l5 for a positive circulation oi' clean air through the oven and in intimate contact with all surfaces of the objects passing therethrough.`

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a heating and `ventilating system 'for 20 commercial ovens of the tunnel type in which heat units are transferred to and from work passingthrcugh the oven by utilizing circulated air passing in circuits through the oven as the heat transference medium. This results in a gradual 2e increase in temperature of the work in the work. preheating section and a gradual decrease in the temperature of the work in the work discharg ing section. The utilization of such circulating air to transfer a predeterminable and controllable 30 quantity of heat, absorbed from the hot Work as it leaves the oven, to the cold work as it enters the oven, eects a heat control-within the oven which is regulated by the @quantityl of fresh air taken into the oven in accordance with the quanas tity ci heat, units taken out of the oven by the hot work. y

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying draw- 40 ings forming a part of this specication wherein iike reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary schematicview of an` Aoven having a heating and ventilating system of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a topplan View, partially in section, of the work discharge section of the oven included .within the arrows 3-3 of Fis. i..

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken 50 substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. l in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. Ai is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 oi Fig. 3 inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken substan-k tially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a top planview of the work preheating section of the ,ovengincluded within the larrows l-l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 3-8 of Fig. '7 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation, partially in section, taken through a portion of the work baking section of the tunnel and showing certain details of the construction thereof.

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view through the work baking section of the oven and taken substantially on the line llt-.I 0 of Fig. 9 in the direction of the arrows. V

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line II-II lof Fig. 9 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the details of the corner construction.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing a .modified form of wall construction.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l4-I4 of Fig. 13 in the direction oft the arrows.

Fig.15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line I5-I5 of Fig. 13 in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways., Also it is to work travels through the tunnel'in`the direction of the arrows 23 and is heated'by means of electrically actuated heating coils 24 (of any preferred type, as for example resistance heating units or induction heating units) placed at suitable predetermined intervals within the enclosing tunnel. In accordance with the present invention, air is discharged through a series of discharge ports in the walls of the tunnel in the direction designated by the arrows 25. After meeting the' work the air then passes through the tunnel in the direction of the arrows 25'in counterflow to the direction of the work passing therethrough.

Adjacent the discharge end 22 of the tunnelthe airis directed outwardly in the direction of the arrows 21 to form an air curtain and `so prevent the suction of air inwardly through vthe discharge end of the tunnel. At the entrance end of the tunnel the air is withdrawn from the tunnel in the direction of the arrows 23 from the entrance booth 2| designated by the arrows 29 and forms an air curtain which surrounds the work as it passes into the tunnel in such a manner as to prevent the discharge of air from the tunnel into the work receiving portion 2|.

A conveyor 30 extends longitudinally throughout the length of 'the'oven and may be of any desired type such as the overhead'rail type or 'the type as here shown which is a fixed conveyor in the form of rails on the floor of the oven along which the work is passed while carried on a suitable carrier mechanism. The work passes along the conveyor 30, as has been said, in the direction of the arrows 23, that is, from the work preheating section to the work baking section and thereafter to the work discharge section in the oven.

The Ventilating system of the present invention.

blowerv 32 from which it is discharged through a.

series of ducts and discharge ports 33, 34 and 35 which open into the interior of the enclosing tunnel. As shown by the arrows of Figs. 3 and 5, the air from the port 33 is discharged toward the discharge opening 22 in converging streams which form the air curtain heretofore mentioned as preventing the drawing of air into the tunnel through the discharge opening 22. 'Ihe air from the ports 34 and 35 is discharged inwardly and toward the entrance end of the tunnel, as shown by the direction of the arrows in Figs. 3 and 5. In order to provide a constant circulation of the air within the oven, a series of blowers and communicating ducts are provided, such as shown by way of example in Fig. 3. As there shown, the air which is discharged through the ducts 34 and 35 is drawn upwardly through the top of the oven througha duct 36 which communicates with a blower 31 which communicates with a series of ducts and discharges the air through the ports 33 and 39 in the direction of the arrows as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. As 'shown in Fig. 5, the streams of air passing through the ducts 38 and 39 contact with all portions of the work passing through the oven, after which the air is then withdrawn from the top of the oven through the duct 40 communicating with the blower 4l, which in turn communic'ates with a series of ducts to discharge the air through the ports 42 and 43, inwardly and toward the work, as shown by the direction of the arrows of Figs. 3 and 5.

A duct construction which may be used satisfactorily in connection with any -of the systems of ducts and blowers used in connection with the present invention is shown inV Fig. 3 and comprises 4a. member 44 which extends-upwardly in a duct' to provide a throat which separates the two ducts 45 and 46, the duct 45 communicating through suitable ducts with the port 42 and the duct 46 communicating through suitable feeding ducts with the port 43.

'Ihe apparatus heretofore described is such that the air is constantly withdrawn from the top of the oven and is discharged inwardly and toward the entrance end of the oven through the ports provided in the side Walls of the oven structure. 'I'his type of Ventilating system may be employed throughout the length of the oven and prevents stratification of the air within the oven. As here shown, no blower mechanism is provided at the Work baking section shown in Fig. 1. This, however, is merely a. detail of design which may be varied by those skilled in the art for any given installation.

, After the air has been taken into the tunnel and circulated asE heretofore described, it passes atentar thence through the work baking section within the oyen and thence toward the Work prohosting section thereof. In the work preheating section, the air is circulated by means oi blowers and communicating ducts t?, it and di) Winch are of similar construction and operation to the ducts and blowers heretofore described. The entrance end of the tunnel is provided with exhaust mats 5t enclosed by a suitable grille or screen bi. The

ducts communicate with a duct b2 in which a blower b3 is housed to withdraw the air through the exhaust screens di, and the ducts c@ and E2,

around the Work cools the work and while so doing heats the air. The heated air thus becomes successively Warmer as it is reclrculated and passes through the Work baking section toward the Work preheating section of the oven. During this time the air having passed through the heated work baking section, isso heated that when it comes in contact with the cold work in the work preheating section, the air gives upI heat units to the work. Thus the air acts as the heat transfer medium by which the work becomes heated prior to the time that it passes into the work baking section of the oven. Thus it will be seen that the latent heat in the work is utilized for the first heating of the air in the work discharge section and thereafter is furtherheated in the Work baking section, and that heat carried by the air is thereafter utilized to heat the cold Work in the work preheating section. During this time the temperature of the air may be regulated by controlling the amounts drawn into the oven.

' In certain types of installations, as for example an oven for baking a synthetic enamel finish on an automobile'body, this circulation of air in this manner has been found to produce desirable results not only in increasing the efficiency of the oven by ei`fecting the transfer of the heat units as heretofore described, but also in that the cold article is heated by gradual increases in temperature in the Work preheating section until it reaches the work baking section. and thereafter is cooled by gradual decreases in temperature. In this manner the work may be discharged at the discharge end of the oven at a temperature slightly in excess of atmospheric temperature. Thus sudden temperature changes either in the work passing into the oven or in the Work as it passes from the oven are avoided, with the elimination, of the chipping or cracking of such enamel 4surfaces where such chipping or cracking is due to rapid temperature changes causingV a sudden expansion or contraction of the metal object to which the surface is applied.

There is thus a work preheating section, a work baking section and a work discharge section, the latter serving as an air preheating section Where- `in the incoming air will remove from the heated work a given quantity of heat. This saved heat is carried by the air into the work baking section where some additional heat is absorbed by the air, and then the air' stream enters the work preheating section i.there the cooled Work removes from the heated air the heat'picked up by the air inthe oven and some part oi' the heat prevlousiy absorbed by the air in the Work discharge section.

. The amount of air entering the oven is controlled so that the temperature ci? the work preheating section shall be just high enough to avoid condensation, on the incoming cool work, of any liquids carried by the air in vapor form. Another Way ofstating the temperature balance, is to say that the temperature of the outgoing work shall be substantially equal to the temperature oi the outi going air.

The oven heating may be accomplished in any manner which does not introduce into the heating section any air or gases in addition to the air which has entered the l'ieating section from the work discharge section. Preferably the oven heating is accomplished by electric resistance heaters which vwarm the air in the heating section, although electric induction coils, which heat the metallic portions of the work, may also be used. j l

By the use of the electrically actuated heating members iteis found that heat is created inside A o1 the oven with the minimum amount of dust,

24a is placed as shown in Fig. 10. substantially surrounding the path of thev work 2'3 inthe baking section and spaced from the'inner wall thereof. Between the inner and outer walls is placed the conventional insulation, the outer wall being spaced from the inner wall by electrically non-conducting supporting members 65 formed of any desired dielectric materials. such for example as porcelain, mica or the like. 'I'hus any eddy currents generated in the Wall by the induction coil cannot flow to the outer wall and heat is conserved.

When it is desired to minimize all possibility of stratification of the air iiow, suitable baffles ET may be used inside the over and outside the induction coil. these baies being supported from the inner shell by electrically non-conducting ribs or spacing members bla.

The direction of the air flow in` any cross-section of the oven provided with the baille members 61 will be substantially as shown by the arrows on Fig. 10. the spacing between the baiiles 61 and the inner shell functioning somewhat as a chimney wherein the air (heated b v the baille and the inner shell) is forced to rise and is directed through the center opening of the bailles B1 down wardly over the work 23. The baffles 61 are suitably spaced from the inner shell to insure greater heating between the baille and the inner wall than within the induction coil. Thus the air will be continually circulated and stratification will be prevented.

In certain installations where the problem of suspended dirt becomes of importance, it is possible to place a series of screens or lters 55 in the intake ducts communicating with the blowers and the ducts 511,48 and S9-'at pointsY adjacent the entrance end of the tunnel. In this manner any foreign substances such as dust, dirt or thelike which are suspended in the article by reason of the other operations within the oven, are removed from the air stream at the points where the air stream discharges upon the work.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the present invention also produces desirable results in that it provides a completely enclosedA oven and a Ventilating system therefor which will remove all noxious fumes or gases which may be attendant upon the treatment of the particular object passing therethrough. Therefore, while the present invention is particularly applicable to commercial ovens of .the tunnel type which are electrically heated, the invention also is applicable to commercial ovens of the tunnel type which are heated by other means.

The details which may be employed in the construction of ari oven embodying the present invention are shown in Figs. 9 toA 15 inclusive. As shown in Fig. 9, the interior portion of the oven may be formed from a series of `sheet steel plates to having turned edge portions which are joined as at 6I by welding or the like. 'I'he outer covering of the oven 62 is comprised of plaster, cement or the like in which reenforcing wire 63 is embedded. The heat insulating material 6I, such as rock wool or the like, is placed between the outer covering and the inner shell formed byused in forming the top and side portions of the inner shell of the tunnel.

A modied form of construction'is shown in Figs. 13 to 15 inclusive. As there shown the inner shell ofthe tunnel is formed o' a series of plates 10 which are joined as by shot welding or the like along the adjoining edges and at the corners by means of angle irons 1I similar to the angle iron 66 heretofore described. Theouter shell 12 in this embodiment of the invention is also formed of a series of steel plates joined along their abutting edges and reenforced at the corner portions by angle iron members 13. The outer shell 12 is spaced from the y.inner shell and the intermediate space is lled with insulating material 14. The shells are maintained in spaced apart relation by a' series of dielectric connecting members 11 secured thereto.

The two forms of construction herein described are intended only as examples of constructions .which may be employed in certain types of installations but are not intended todesignate any particular` type of construction of the oven with which the present invention may be employed.

I claim:

1. A heating 'and Ventilating SYStem for an -industrial oven having a tunnel-like enclosure having a work' receiving end and a work'discharge end, said system comprising heating means disposed within'said tunnelka series of ducts communicating with theinterior of said tunnel, a series of power driven fans housed in said ducts and adapted to feed air to the interior I of the oven and circulate the air therein, said ducts communicatingwith an inlet duct open at its end to the atmosphere outside of and adjacent to the work discharge end of said oven whereby fresh air is supplied to said oven at substantially atmospheric temperature and is thereafter circulated throughout the length of the oven in counterow to the direction of travel of work passing therethrough, certain of said ducts having discharge openings adjacent the ends of the enclosure and adapted to direct streams of air converging outwardly of the ends of the enclosure, thereby forming air curtains shutting off the ends of the enclosure against circulation of air inwardly therethrough.

2. An oven comprising a tunnel-like enclosure open at its ends, a plurality of electrically actuated heating elements disposed at spaced intervals within said enclosure, a Ventilating system comprising a system of ducts including an air inlet duct and an air exhaust duct, each having their terminal ends open to the atmosphere outside of said enclosure, intermediate passages communicating with said inlet and exhaust ducts and having directional discharge openings on opposed side walls yof said enclosure arranged to direct the ow of airin counterflow to the direc-A tion of work passing through the oven, inlet openings on the top thereof, and a series of power driven fans housed within said ducts land adapted to feed fresh outside air to said enclosure from said inlet duct.

3. An oven comprising a tunnel enclosure open at its-ends, a work conveyor extending longitudinally ofl said enclosure, a Ventilating system p therefor including air supply means, a series of air inlet duct open to the atmosphere outside the enclosed oven, a duct system communicating therewith and discharging air therefrom to the interior of the oven and discharging the air passing therethrough through spacedports adjacent the sides of the interior of the oven arranged vto direct the flow of air into the oven alongthe side walls'in a direction to induce a circulation in a direction from work discharge end to work inlet end, motor driven fans housed in said ducts and adapted to cause a movement of air through said ducts, and ducts adjacent the ends of the enclosed oven and discharging streams of air outwardly thereof to form air currents effective to prevent a substantial ow of air inwardly through the ends of said enclosed oven.

HOWARD E. SOMES. 

